To "Embrace" 2012

Each morn is New Year’s morn come true,
Morn of a festival to keep.
All nights are sacred nights to make
Confession and resolve and prayer;
All days are sacred days to wake
New gladness in the sunny air.
Only a night from old to new;
Only a sleep from night to morn.
The new is but the old come true;
Each sunrise sees a new year born.

-excerpt from New Year's Morning
by Helen Hunt Jackson (1892)

Saying goodbye to 2011 and hello to 2012 is a slow process in our home. Although 2011 held its share of sadness, we are a sentimental bunch and tend to hold on to the joyful moments, especially the wonders of the last few week.

A welcome scene

A moving live nativity at a local farm

Anticipating the celebration to come the next morning.

A few homemade gifts (mint lip balm, felted soap, star ornaments)

(More on that in a future post.)

As the decorations come down, I look forward to the renewed hope, growth, and adventures that 2012 holds. What does it hold exactly? I do not know, but I do know that I can live purposefully. With that in mind, Jessica, from the blog Bohemian Bowmans, encourages her readers to pick one purposeful word for 2012. This year, my word is "Embrace." I will allow myself to embrace my life for what it is and not regret what it is not. I will embrace my family for who they are. I will embrace the day that is given to me, not just set back and watch, although I tend to be a wallflower.

I am not the resolution type, but I do have goals for the year. I am going to try new crafts in these cooler months. I am in the process of making a Waldorf Doll, and look forward to making wool roving scapes, people, and animls. As the months move on, I hope to relearn the piano and teach my oldest son how to read music, I might even break open my cello and our dulcimers. I will teach my children about cooking and in a perfect world, will learn to enjoy hours in the kitchen. We will see. Regardless of it all, I will Embrace what comes.

Merry Christmas

The Light of the World has come.

Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas.

Giveaway by Jessica @ Bohemian Bowmans

Do you have a wild child? I do and love him dearly for it. Today Jessica at Bohemian Bowmans is giving away her ebook Parenting Wild Things, encouraging gentle parenting. A must read for this mom.

This Moment

A Friday ritual inspired by Soulemama. A single photo. A moment to treasure.

Fostering Reverence

With the holidays approaching, I have tried to be more purposeful in how we respond to the season. We naturally withdraw from distractions outside our home as we seek to establish traditions and memories within our family. My eldest son, Aidan, talk excitedly about family being important during this season and even that Christmas isn't all about presents, but that it is Jesus' birthday. He is growing in understanding about ideas and qualities such a courage and hope, so quickly. (In Waldorf education, child development is viewed in 3 distinct cycles and Aidan is entering what is often called the Seven Year Change. Here is an excellent explanation of the 3 cycles.)

In a hurried world that seeks instant gratification, I want to teach my sons to hold reverence for the sacred. When they are grown, I do not want reverence to be new to them, but to be familiar. As I write, I am reminded of my older sister who has 4 sons and a daughter and lovingly reminds me that I am raising future husbands and fathers.

To help me foster reverence for Christmas with both boys, 6 and 3 years old, I have used a 24-day countdown tree my mother made for my sister and I when we were young. It is a simple and clever design in which we as children reached into the pocket of the corresponding day, pulled out a little felt ornament and hung it on the felt tree. What a delight to know Christmas is getting closer. This year, I added a little slip of paper in each pocket. On one side of the paper is a Biblical truth or verse, i.e. "God loves you" or "Let your light shine" and on the other is a clue to a waiting surprise. Every evening, after the boys blow out the dinner candles, young Shane puts the felt ornament on the tree and Aidan reads the paper and off they go to hunt for their surprise which ranges from a tasty treat to a shiny rock for the nature table.

Later in the evening, Aidan and I read from Family Devotions for the Advent Season, further encouraging both of us to look inward at how we will respond to the sacred season, now and in the future.

Just had to laugh...

I am trying to teach my children the reverence of the season. However, I couldn't help but laugh when my three year-old said, "Mama, isn't this funny?"

*sigh* I will soon share some of our more succcesful ways to encourage the Spirit of the Season.

This Moment

A Friday ritual inspired by Soulemama. A single photo. A moment to treasure.